Planting by moon phases etc...

[longwinters]

Is there any truth to planting by moon phases and other such thinking?

Long

[jvs]

I can remember my Grandparents saying that the moon plays a part in planting.  It was either crops below ground on a new moon and above ground crops on a full moon, or the other way around.  I have an Uncle who still uses it as a guide.   It was many years ago that I tried following it, but now I don't do root crops any more and the above ground plants I buy from a Nursery by the six-pak, so I don't remember the phrase exactly.

I think it pertains to early spring planting when the root crops etc.  wouldn't be affected as much by a frost.  I'm hoping somebody here can pin the saying down properly, although it wouldn't have much to do with very early crops like Spinach, Peas or Scallions.  Those plants can be sewn in late Feb around here.   It more than likely goes back to the Old Farmers Almanac, possibly farther.  That phrase worked for quite a long time before everything got so convenient.

I still use the Lunar Tables for Hunting and Fishing, and it works.  For those, it is when the moon is either overhead or underfoot and the Peak changes daily.

[deb]

A retired farmer, resident of a nursing home I worked, said not to plant  tender crops until after the full moon in May. (for this area of the world!)  You know, it's been quite a few years, it seems to work out that way for most of the time!
The full moon is the 23rd this May, so I'll wait!  The weather people are calling for low 30's tomorrow nite.  That's upsetting, the friut trees are in full bloom now.  If we lose them this year, it will be 4 years in a row with no mast crop here. That is hard on wildlife.  I've already seen a difference with the squirrel population.  They move on in search of food.  
Maybe a prayer, and some crossed fingers might help!!

Deb   :-)

[Joel]

Been an organic market grower for a lot of years, and out of curiosity I tried planting by moon phase and kept records for three years.   The rule was to plant above ground crops on as the moon was waxing(moving toward full) and root crops on the waning phase(moving towards new moon).  As far as advantage in actual ripening time goes, I found out that doing that gave me ripe crops anywhere from 1-4 days earlier than before.  I did notice that, since I was paying attention, that above ground crops seem to do much of their maturing during the new moon-full moon phase.  Book I read puts it all down to gravity....during the period that the moon is moving towards full(and its orbit is closest to the earth) it exerts a gravitional pull on the earth, actually reducing the earth's gravity.  Makes it a bit easier for above ground crops to grow.  Conversely, during the full moon-new moon phase, the moon is further away, exerts less gravitional pull on the earth, making it a bit easier for root crops to grow.  Makes sense, I reckon.

[IntrepidWizard]

I will tell you all a secret if you don't tell the Media as that is my entertainment---there absolute stupidity and redundancy on nothing issurs--we are coming in to a Earth cooling phase starting in the next decade ALL DO TO THE SUN STORMS/SPOTS AND THE MOON PLAYS A PART I THE GRAVITY AND DOES HOLD PLANTS UP OR DOWN AS THE PHASES OCCURE.AS IT DOES THE TIDE 24/7.

[jvs]

I will tell you all a secret if you don't tell the Media as that is my entertainment---there absolute stupidity and redundancy on nothing issurs--we are coming in to a Earth cooling phase starting in the next decade ALL DO TO THE SUN STORMS/SPOTS AND THE MOON PLAYS A PART I THE GRAVITY AND DOES HOLD PLANTS UP OR DOWN AS THE PHASES OCCURE.AS IT DOES THE TIDE 24/7.

How 'bout translating that into plain English.